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Three mason jars of turkey bone broth displayed on a white background.

Turkey Bone Broth (Stock): Instant Pot + Stovetop

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 18 reviews
  • Author: Vanessa | Maple + Mango
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 2 hours (up to 12 hours with stovetop method)
  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: Varies
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop, Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Learn how to make a delicious, homemade turkey bone broth (turkey stock) from the leftover turkey carcass. This recipe covers 2 different cooking methods: Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and Stovetop. The perfect way to use every part of your turkey!


Ingredients

Scale
  • Leftover roast turkey carcass (see notes)
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, halved (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Water, to cover

Instructions

Instant Pot Method:

  1. Add ingredients: Place all the ingredients into a 6 quart or 8 quart Instant Pot and add enough water to cover everything or until you are just below the Max Fill line (whichever comes first).  Be careful not to overfill (it’s ok if the bones are not fully covered by water).  Secure the lid and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.
  2. Pressure cook: Press the “Soup” button (or Manual / Pressure Cook button) and set to cook for 120 minutes followed by a natural release.
  3. Strain: Strain the broth by first using tongs to pull out all the large pieces and then pouring the rest through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher.  Or you can make straining even easier by using a mesh steamer basket insert for the Instant Pot.

Stovetop Method:

  1. Add ingredients: Put all the ingredients in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water.
  2. Simmer: Bring to a boil and then immediately turn heat down to low to maintain a gentle simmer.  Simmer for 3-4 hours or even up to 12 hours if you like.  Note:  You may need to add a little extra water after a few hours if too much has cooked off.
  3. Strain: Strain the broth by first using tongs to pull out all the large pieces and then pouring the rest through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher.

Storage:


Notes

  • Making Turkey Carcass Fit: You may need to break apart the turkey carcass into a few pieces to help it fit in the pot more easily.  If your turkey is extremely large, use half and store the other half in the freezer to make another batch of turkey stock in the future.
  • Herbs + Seasoning:  Feel free to add in herbs and seasoning.  I usually keep it fairly neutral and prefer to season to taste when using it so that I have more flexibility.
  • Instant Pot Method:  This is my preferred method since it cuts down the cooking time and I can walk away. I usually use the “Soup” function on my Instant Pot when making broth/stock since this setting controls the pressure and temperature to ensure that the liquid never goes into a heavy boiling state.  However, you can also simply use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button.  New to the Instant Pot?  Check out my tips for Instant Pot beginners.
  • Can raw turkey be used instead?  If you want to make turkey stock with raw turkey parts, you can first roast them up in the oven until browned and continue on with the recipe.  Or you can check out my Make Ahead Turkey Gravy recipe which outlines the process of making turkey broth using raw pieces like the neck, backbone and wings.
  • How to use turkey bone broth?  Check out the Ways To Use It section in the post for ideas.  My favorite is this delicious turkey noodle soup.